The town was originally called Turquoise after the mineral that local native tribes used to mine there, but it was changed after local miner John Gleeson filed a claim for copper and established the Copper Belle Mine. 500 persons lived in the town by 1900, the majority of whom were miners. Although a fire destroyed half of the town in 1912, it was rebuilt as demand for copper increased as a result of the First World War
The town was abandoned after the post office shut down in 1939 and the mines collapsed in the 1930s. Even though there are still many families who reside here, the only establishment that sells rattlesnake items is here. Normally, visitors are free to explore the ruins of a hospital, a bar, and a jail that has been converted into a museum.
Pablo Flores began mining and smelting operations close to the town after finding silver there in 1865. After a few years, the silver at Cerro Gordo became well known, attracting many new prospectors. Lead and ore were also found in the years that followed, and the town grew rapidly. It didn’t last, though; by the late 1870s, Cerro Gordo had been abandoned due to disputes over the town’s ownership, a decline in lead and silver values, and a brief drying up of the water tower
Cerro Gordo was privately owned until June 2018, when it was up for sale and sold to two Los Angeles businessmen for $1.4 million. They intend to maintain public access while preserving the interiors of the current structures.
Two prospectors who were looking to make a quick buck after finding silver in 1880 established a Miner’s Protective Association, and within five years Ashcroft had 20 saloons and more than3,500 people. But like most mining communities, the silver quickly ran out, and by the end of1885, there were just 100 people left.
The Winter Olympics in the 1930s sparked renewed interest in the region and even plans to create a ski resort, but the enthusiasm died off, and Ashcroft has been a ghost town ever since1939. Plans for the ski resort were transferred to Aspen, a growing community about 10 miles to the north
The town boasted 13 saloons, four hotels, two barbershops, a doctor’s office, a school, and a daily stagecoach route to neighboring towns during its heyday. Since 1860, when prospectors first found gold and semi-precious red gems nearby, Garnet has been a bustling mining town. Unfortunately, in 1912, half of the town was destroyed by fire, and because the mines were already empty of gold, it was abandoned.
